Silent Turkeys = Silent Turkey Hunter??

[Hawkeye]

To all you old limb chicken "pros"-

Turkeys are a very recent addition to the game possibilities on our central Illinois farm.  They've been within 20 miles most of my life, but saw the first on our property just five years ago, and tried bowhunting them for the first time last year.  The population is still light, but we see a few from time to time.

This spring has been wet and cool here.  I've been out the past two mornings with a pop-up blind and a few decoys, but the woods have been S-I-L-E-N-T with regards to turkey sounds.  No gobbling in the tree or on the ground within a 1/2 mile (quiet, moist morning), not a yelp, not a cluck, not a snort-wheeze(oops).

It seemed out of place to call since nothing else was "talking" in the ten+ hours I was out, so I just sat and enjoyed nature.  Would you suggest going ahead and calling in a situation like this?

I had a good enough field of view that I don't think there were birds near by, but do you start the conversation when it is so, so quiet?

Thanks for any tips!

Daryl

[leatherneck]

If the turkeys were there recently, odds are they are still there. Don't be afraid to do some "blind" calling. You would be surprised what might answer you. Also be alert for the silent tom coming in.
If you have not seen any turkeys in the area recently, odds are they moved off. Relocate! Hope this helps.

[bowmaster12]

when the birds arent talking i will usually try calling ever half hour or so i would also suggestion getting ou of yoru blind and covering some grond either trying to get a shock gobble or by calling to get an answer.  I tend to hunt turkeys very agressive so i preffer calling over using a locator call.  good luck i start my hunt in the morning.

[Steelhead]

Ofcourse its always nice to hear a call to confirm they are around.I would try to get a shock gobble in the morning by doing a loud sharp fly down cackle.That can turn loose a gooble from a tight lipped bird.Cast your calls in different directions as well.

An owl hoot or Coyote call works as well.somethomes or a loud sharp crow call.

My brother just hunted southern IL and said they were not gobbling.They are henned up pretty good early in the seasson alot of the time.

Try some late morning hunting.You might find a willing Tom whos alone by then.Always be listening good as well.you never know when one might sound off and then work closer to him careful not to bump him.Up in the morning is always a good time to cover some ground and see if you can strike a bird up.

A setup with light calling might bring one in.Every now and then throw out some excited calls in so you know a potential bird hears you.Sometomes they come in quietly with no gobbling.

[Danny Roberts]

Put the pileated woodpecker on 'em !

[Fletcher]

I'll yelp, cluck and purr a bit while waiting, but I don't give up for the day (mornings only in IL) without a long set of loud, harsh purrs.  I think it means a hen fight and if there's somebody in the area, they come running.

[wollelybugger]

Dont be so sure they are still there, they will move on. Turkey hens like certain areas to nest.

[Widowbender]

Look for fresh turkey signs such as scat and scratchings. Once you figure out where turkeys like to go, that's where you want to be. If you are where the turkeys like to be and there is fresh sign around. Its okay to call, sparingly. I'm not a big fan of decoys unless you are in an area with very little hunting pressure. Patience kills more turkeys than anything else.

David

[antler chaser]

I don't know about the turkeys in IL? but if you try  going out just before dark & listing you should hear one gobble before he goes to bed letting the hens know where he is,this may tell you if a tom is in the area & if he has a roost near by.

[Hawkeye]

Thanks, guys.

Fletcher, you trying to get the "guys" interested in a cat fight?!   :eek:  

Caution: Too Much Information Alert!!! TMI! TMI! (You've been warned!)

I've been trying to put 'em to bed, but it has been quiet for the past few weeks at sunset, as well.  I have about 40 acres of woods and rough land in three "pieces" on our 400 acre farm.  I can see roosted birds at a distance from the fields almost everywhere they can be.  They're not there tonight!  Saw 20 birds one afternoon about a month ago, but only three since then.  It appears the turkeys may have pulled back to more distant areas.  

I did have three birds show up yesterday about 10:30 AM.  They stepped out of the woods at about 50 yards, saw my decoys, and angled my way.  One came to check out my hen decoy at about 10 yards, but Illinois dictates that you can only take a "male turkey or hen with a discernable beard."  This one looked like a hen's coloration, and I couldn't see any beard, but it DID have some bright red showing on its neck.  It wouldn't puff up into a strut, so I couldn't see the tail configuration.  It stayed for 2-3 minutes, then rejoined its buddies who had stayed at 40 yards distance... and BOTH of whom had beards!  I tried purring to them, but they sautered away.  Better safe than incarcerated!

Last year I had one gobbler (and a couple hens) roosting on our place that I played cat-and-mouse with and had at full draw at 8 yards- when a 25 mph wind gust collapsed the hub on my blind!  It was FUN, though!  I saw a total of three toms for the season.

I am hunting with a Landowner's "Property Only Hunting" permit, and it is a wonderful two-edged sword. I can hunt ONLY on my farm, but I can hunt any or all of the five individual short seasons!  The bulk of the turkeys roost two places over from us on a larger creek bottom.  I previously had a straggler or two show up, and I'm hoping the warmer temps will get them moving... and talking again!

Moved the blind about a half-mile tonight, and into the edge of the woods off the field where I flirted with the Tom last year.  It is a staging area where I saw the 20 birds last month.  SO... I'll be there, and call every 1/2 hour or so to try to pull 'em my way.

I've been fighting with MS for the past 8 years, so I need to get someplace and stay put, for the most part.  "Run and gun" is a thing of the past, but I do still have the stalking skills of a pachyderm!  I miss how I used to prefer to hunt, but it is a thrill to have a sport that still gives so much enjoyment... albeit at a lower poundage!

I think that touches on all the suggestions... and a whole lot more!  Thanks to each of you for your help and comments.

Here is to a day of lost yelps and thundering answers!

Daryl

[Charles Sorrells]

Daryl -

Just caught your post on this and I really hope that it worked out for this morning with the move.

The weather here next door here east of you had them gobbling pretty good this morning.

On the silent days I will call sparingly, but I tend to lost call or Kee-kee more.  It bides towards the social nature of them.  I couple this with clucking and purring.  You go throwing in loud yelps, cutts and such on days when everything is quiet, it is like shouting at a dinner table...out of place.

We start our youth season tomorrow and hope it turns out well.  I wish I had the time to come over and sip coffee in that blind with you.  

Keep us posted on what happens!

Charles

[Roy Steele]

If you gobblers are quit ofcoure you can try calling.What you have to lose.I'm also a fan of the waiting game.Lots of loud calling uselly only calls jakes and 2 year olds.I know just starting you don't care but after 30 years you may not fell that way.
  Here's what I do.After about an hour an you don't here a thing.Your hunting a small place for a WV boy thats you's to covering ground.On these day I to like to run an gun tactic.
  After an hour I do a couple of yelps not to loud starting out there may be gobbler close.Now I wait a half hour and get a little louder.Now forget yor blind.
  Now one may come to you quit so when you move only move far enough so you can here your first calling spot.Now waste another hour at this spot.Again move far enough so you can here both spots and again put in another hour.Lots of times he'll show up an gobble to see where your at(hen).If there;s no responce before I move this time I get out my fighting purrs it's later in the morning and a gobbler thinks there may be a fight over a hen.He wants to know who the other gobblers are and he wants to show the others where they belong in the picking order.If theres one with in hereing he use'll gobbles back.Exsplecialy if it;s a 3 or 4 year old gobbler.

[Roy Steele]

If he gobbles the worse thing you can do is just call to here him gobble at your calling.Once he gobbles at your call nows the time for you to be quit.Make him impaisent make him come and find you.Other than so purrs and leaf scratching these are your only calls.The more he gobbles to find you the better.You knows he's loking for you.
  Once he's sighted don't call to him with any thing.This will only let him know right where you are.Make him look.Who knows how long this will take it may take hours or minites.Set tight you may have a story to tell your grand kids.

[aroflyte]

Hawkeye, I spent the week hunting south of the quad cities. rained out the first two days. Wednesday birds were silent.  saw two hens in areas that had LOTS of birds.  Moved a mile for thursday and set up.  Birds were gobbling from dawn till dusk, but saw hens walking around all day. Calling only brought social hens around.  Was out this morning after a short move to where I heard them yesterday.  Woods were totally silent and didn't see a bird all day.  Heard 1 gunshot in three days of hunting.  I dont think the hens are receptive yet. Just my opinion, but they just dont seem interested in mating yet.

[Roy Steele]

AROFLYTE i'm sure the hens are setting.Seasons are set up so lots of hens are alreadt setting to insure that theres turkeys for next spring.This is why gobblers are hened up the start of turkey season.
  If what you say were the case you would have hit gold because gobblers are like bucks.There ready to go before the hens are ready to set.And those gobblers are just waiting to here those first hen yelps.Just like those preseason bucks are out looking for those first doe's to come into heat.When Iwas younger I use to call gobblers in 2 or 3 weeks before saeson and thgen gobblers are alot easer to call before the hens get involed.

[aroflyte]

I know they should be setting.  I just thought it was strange to see them moving all day.  They usually returned to their nest by mid-morning.  I also never saw a jake.  For the number of birds that are usually around, I'd think one would show.  Just a little disappointed  with the low number of toms showing up compared to years past.My permit was only good for 5 days.  I'm done till the fall. And I hate to say it, but it seems I'm hitting a dry spell.